1.5 year old male release questions please

[Jnsk]

Hi all! We started a soft release in an outdoor cage with his house inside it approximately 2 months ago. 6 weeks in the enclosure and then 2 weeks ago we made an opening for him to come and go.

(We attempted this last spring but he got chased by another male and jumped in the chimney and into the house and didn’t seem to want back out! The chimney is now screened off)

He seems to be much better adjusted to the transition this year and is holding his own with the other males. He still comes home to his cage every evening and sleeps in his house. We are still putting nuts outside when we see him but this is also attracting the other males. There’s a bit of chasing but not too much. One of them seems to be a dominant male but he hasn’t hurt our guy.

Since he was about 8 months old he has bit each of us in the house so for the year prior to the second release attempt he had his own large studio room looking out at the back yard with no contact from us. Since he’s been out we’ve been watching for him and hoping he has gone wilder and not want to bother with humans. But….last week I was waiting out in the front step and thinking I was safe because he always takes off for the giant cedar trees. Suddenly he was on my foot then running up me with teeth chattering. I stood perfectly still tucking my hands in my sleeves and hoped he would just run back off like he used to do when he was little but he started to bite me through my sweater, badly. Not knowing what else to do I calmly (while getting bitten) walked over to a low bush and crawled under it to hopefully get him to jump off. But he just rode on me and now that my hands were exposed from crawling he scratched and bit them hard. I had my head tucked under my sweater to at least protect my face. After a couple of minutes he finally jumped off and I ran got the house. About half an hour later he was in the back yard foraging for nuts.

My question is, do you think this was a freak attack? He’d never attacked like this before only a quick bite. When can we stop feeding him or will stopping make him more aggressive? Maybe weaning off slowly?

Thanks for any help!!! 😊

[Charley Chuckles]

Wow I'm so sorry I know this hurts you more ways than one 😥
I thought you were going to say he happily jumped on you and was friendly, this however is curious. In my opinion if he's forging for food I'd stop feeding him nuts.
Let's see what others have to say.

I know this is not funny but I literally visualized you doing this.... do you have neighbors that may have actually witnessed you crawling under a shrub with a squirrel🐿️🤔🤭

[Jnsk]

No the neighbors didn’t see me, at least I hope not! I’d be so embarrassed! Yes it was a shock, he’s seemed so preoccupied with all the amazing trees and other squirrels that he didn’t seem concerned about us. We don’t hand feed him but he watches us and knows where the nuts come from and maybe it was a dominance thing? I’m hoping he’ll keep getting wilder and build a drey somewhere. It’s really an amazing squirrel neighborhood with so many giant cedars and a dead end road.

[McCarthy]

Its pretty obvious whats going on.

Squirrels consider humans that they bonded with or those that raised them, as a member of their herd.

Squirrels are herd animals, and they are opportunistic. They have to be, in order to survive in nature. Meaning they will make use of herd members, trick them, steal from them, chase them when they get into their territory, bite them if they get close to their nest, stash, babies, pathways, food sources, kill the babies from other males, you name it.

They are also food aggressive. Even though you are the food source, and he knows that, you are also potentially somebody who could take the food away. So they may fight you if you get close to the source or a stash.

Once a baby squirrel becomes independent, this herd mentality and instinct takes over, and your position in the herd will be tested and determined.

The nicer you are without ever "fighting" back, what many people don't do when they raise a baby, any baby, the more likely you will be seen as recessive if not outright submissive. At that point, he is above you in the hierarchy, and you are a beta male to him, and that's how he treats you.

For him, sitting on your back while you go hiding, is probably the most submissive behavior you could show.

In a wild squirrel herd, the weaker beta males (and females) run away and avoid conflict. If they don't run, they get the beating of their life. In his eyes, you didn't even run away, so you had been in for it.

I strongly suggest removing yourself out of his herd. Can you soft release him somewhere else? A friends house? A rehabber?

If that's not an option, stop feeding him, avoid seeing him, move his cage away from the house, don't stick around, and if he attacks again, give him a slight whack on his rear and let him know that you are not taking any abuse.

Squirrels "play" (actually fight) very rough, that's how they determine the hierarchy in the herd, and this will be tested and contested every single day.

That's the main reason why so many consider squirrels to be bad pets. If you don't dominate them as the alpha animal, they will shred your place, and your skin.

Dominating a (male) squirrel isn't easy and most won't be up to that task. You would have to spend 2 to 3 hours every day "playing" and "fighting" him or her until they are exhausted, only then you may be seen as the alpha, and they will let you handle them without biting etc.

There's much more to this task though. Showing fear or hesitation will send the wrong signals and you will be in for bites and scratches.

[Chirps]

I wonder if spritzing him with water from a spray bottle would give him pause if he tries to attack you again.

[Jnsk]

McCarthy, thank you so much for taking the time to write your very detailed response, it is so appreciated. They makes sense. I’m definitely considered submissive to him then! But that’s my way - I love, care fore, nurture but am not disciplinary.

We actually witnessed him yesterday for 3 hours taking shell nuts out of his house and into the trees, in the same direction each time. This is a good sign, right? That he’s building a drey? Do they leave for good or do you think he’ll keep checking back with his “herd” and testing his dominance?

Thanks so much 😊

[Jnsk]

Chirps, I did try the spray bottle once inside when he was running at me and it didn’t faze him a bit, he ran through it and bit me hard on my thumb joint. Feisty little fella 😃

[McCarthy]

McCarthy, thank you so much for taking the time to write your very detailed response, it is so appreciated. They makes sense. I’m definitely considered submissive to him then! But that’s my way - I love, care fore, nurture but am not disciplinary.

We actually witnessed him yesterday for 3 hours taking shell nuts out of his house and into the trees, in the same direction each time. This is a good sign, right? That he’s building a drey? Do they leave for good or do you think he’ll keep checking back with his “herd” and testing his dominance?

Thanks so much ��

We all care for and love "our" squirrels, and its always hard to see when they "turn wild" and follow their instincts. Many like to say that they actually own us. And while that sounds funny, in most cases the squirrel considers us to be lower in the rank. For a squirrel that is releasable, that is a very good sign, because it shows that it is ready to be on its own and in a better position to live with other squirrels and to avoid predators.

Taking a stash or nesting material out of his cage and into a tree den is also a very good sign. He is likely moving out. This time of transitioning can be hectic for them since they have to find and make their place, and establish a new rank.

I'd give it a proper break and avoid seeing, feeding and handling him or his cage. Further down the road he should calm down and understand that you are not part of his group anymore, nor close to his nest or stashes.

By the way, releasing them at age 1.5 years is kinda late, they are often ready much sooner. When we have to keep them around through wintertime, they often become impatient, wild and aggressive, so its no wonder he started to bite and attack. They are full with energy and instincts. Keeping a healthy adult squirrel inside a cage or house limits them on several ends, so it comes at no surprise that they turn sour.

This is somewhat tough love, because we invested so much time and love into a living being, just to see them wander off, sometimes with a final bite. Don't take that personal, you did a great job and saved his life. Too many people in today's society are takers. They take away from nature, our resources, other humans and never give much back. You are a maker! You make things happen. Thank you for that.

[sundoesshine]

Many like to say that they actually own us. And while that sounds funny, in most cases the squirrel considers us to be lower in the rank. For a squirrel that is releasable, that is a very good sign, because it shows that it is ready to be on its own and in a better position to live with other squirrels and to avoid predators.

... so true and worth all the pain and bites!

All the comments are so right on, sorry he took it out on you but it can be very (painfully) normal. Ours did the exact same thing, changing literally overnight. We had to pry him off of us While he was latched on, biting. Once off, we would try and toss him far enough away, over a fence, around a corner etc, yell and do SHHHH's (a noise he didn't like) so that he didn't just run back up us. He was especially aggressive to my husband who finally held him belly up once and scolded him hard. After that he at least learned not to come charging from across the yard. Assertively yelling "GO", SSSHHH and making go away motions BEFORE he gets near, helped him learn. Also helps to have some brooms strategically placed by doors in case he still tries to approach.

The board suggested leaving his food as far away as possible and to break any association between us and food which I do think helped immensely. Maybe just leave meals of block and veggies for now, since nuts just make em bonkers on so many levels. Him moving his stash sounds like a great sign. This intense time does taper off especially once they figure out that they do NOT own your house/kitchen/you. Congratulations on raising a strong squirrel ready for the trees 🙂

[Jnsk]

Sundoesshine, thank you for your response. It’s nice knowing someone else has been through this.

You all have been so helpful. I’m so glad I reached out. It’s nice just to have someone understand. I’ve started grabbing a broom when I go outside

[McCarthy]

Sundoesshine, thank you for your response. It’s nice knowing someone else has been through this.

You all have been so helpful. I’m so glad I reached out. It’s nice just to have someone understand. I’ve started grabbing a broom when I go outside

You are not alone. Every human owned by a squirrel has the scars to prove it.

Below my wound of the day. Not just a scratch, he sliced through several skin layers with his claw. And my squirrels love me, so you know what you will look like when one decides to hate your guts for a day.









It was him, super cute all the time. Until another squirrel shows up, he goes after him, and uses my leg as a trampoline.

[Jnsk]

Here is Ed. His nest fell down our chimney almost 2 years ago, a month after moving in our newly rented house. The other 3 siblings had already passed but this little guy cried loud enough for us to hear and we dug him out of all the ashes. At the time i didn’t even know what I was digging out! We hydrated him and kept an eye out for momma but didn’t see any squirrels at the time so we raised him. According to pics he would have been about 3-4 weeks, eyes still shut but opened them about a week later. Early in he became especially attached to my teen son and still to this day is the only one of us that hasn’t been bit!

[Jnsk]

[McCarthy]

Most squirrels only bond with one person, all others are intruders and fair game.

Sweet little guy!